SYNOPSICS
Picking Up the Pieces (2000) is a English movie. Alfonso Arau has directed this movie. Woody Allen,David Schwimmer,Angélica Aragón,Sharon Stone are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2000. Picking Up the Pieces (2000) is considered one of the best Comedy,Crime,Fantasy movie in India and around the world.
Woody Allen plays Tex, a kosher butcher. Sharon Stone plays his unfaithful wife Candy. Tex catches Candy in the act and in a fit of rage he kills her. To conceal his crime he cuts up her body and buries it in the desert in New Mexico. However, when her hand surfaces, a blind woman trips over it and it restores her sight. The hand is then considered to be the "hand of the Virgin." Despite the church's fallen priest objecting, the ambitious mayor of the town creates an international three-ring circus of miracle-seekers, TV crews, and born-again local prostitutes all interested in the hand. All of this goes on while Tex is desperately trying to recover the hand before the sheriff finds it and uses it as evidence against him.
Picking Up the Pieces (2000) Trailers
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Picking Up the Pieces (2000) Reviews
One of the cheesiest movies ever made -- and not in a camp way!
I watched this movie on Cinemax in stunned silence. It contains some of the most sophomoric writing and cheapest sight gags one can imagine outside of a frat-house revue. Throughout the film, both Woody Allen and Sharon Stone keep fixed and glazed grins on their faces, as if they can hardly believe they're saying these horrible lines. That this cast and this director would produce this travesty passes all understanding. The problem isn't the subject matter (hey, I'm all for irreverent treatment of organized religion!), it's that the plotting and the execution leave you wishing you'd spent the last two hours jabbing straight pins into the back of your hand. Or, perhaps, your eyes. It is a film without charm, without wit, without subtlety, without surprise. Your move.
A Farrelly/Coen Brothers influenced story
The bawdy, crass jokes and lowbrow humor employed in Bill Wilson's script work in his story about a kosher butcher who catches his unfaithful wife in the act and is driven to homicidal maniacal behavior. From the gags involving a permanently frozen hand with its middle finger extended, to the obvious dialog quips, this movie is highly entertaining, with Farrelly/Coen Brothers influences. The impressive cast executes all the silliness with great ease and skill. Woody Allen's characteristically droll performance makes an interesting backdrop against the film's New Mexico locale. Despite the obvious nature of the story, Director Alfonso Arau's use of visual realism lends to it's contrasting irony. Arau's style is reminiscent of some of Mexico's better comedies celebrating the culture through humorous eyes.
A black comedic satire of religion
"Picking Up the Pieces" is a black comedy involving a gruesome murder, but without explicit violence. It's darkly satiric comments on religion are the centerpiece, with a powerfully expressive focus in the corpse's hand itself. Alfonso Arau has made a small gem of a movie, not to everyone's taste, but hilarious to many. The acting is quite good throughout. Kiefer Sutherland, as the villainous, red-neck cop perhaps overdoes it a bit, but it is satire. David Schwimmer, as a small-town New Mexican priest in love with a local prostitute and whose church is in financial trouble, is exceptionally good. And Sharon Stone (unrecognizable as the super-promiscuous wife of Woody Allen's butcher) is excellent as a woman whose final victimhood allows her redemption from a life of sin. Three and a half Stars. Check it out
Beautifully Shot, not so beautiful otherwise
This movie was interesting. I love Woody, and the cinematography was quite, quite excellent, yet the film failed to get me involved. The script, although pretty original, ultimately failed because of its lack of structure. I would hasten to say (and I haven't checked yet) that whoever wrote this was a first timer. The story of the miracle hand was suitable idea, yet I felt more could have been done with it. In addition, the direction (from a director I admire) was sloppy. Much of the acting (Fran Drescher???) seemed less then inspired, although Woody Allen was (and always is) very good comedically. Stone was ok in her brief appearance, and David Schwimmer, although HORRIBLY MISCAST as a priest, (could he be ANY more Jewish?) worked. I think my major problem with the movie was a seeming lack of professionalism, which isn't to say it was bad by any strech of the imagination. Watching a movie like this, you sort of have to suspend your disbelief. Any attempt to take it seriously would ruin the movie (apparently much of the cast and crew didn't take the project seriously) ANYWAY...tough call on this, but 6/10 is my vote~
In Defense of Woody...
I am a big Woody Allen fan and greatly admire his early films, up to and including Annie Hall. The only two post A.H. films I have enjoyed are "Curse of the Jade Scorpion", and this one, "Picking Up the Pieces". There are moments of the old Woody here that have been missing in many of his more recent efforts. He should venture out of his "New York City comfort zone" more often. The movie is not perfect, and could / will offend some. I really liked the neon lighting, which in no small way reminds me of "Vamp". Do not let the one star ratings steer you away from "Picking Up the Pieces", because it is well worth a peek, and especially for those W.A. fans who yearn for the 1970s Woody. - MERK